Safety-stirrup.



PATENTED SEPTQB, 1908.

W. L. FUCHS.

SAFETY STIRRUP. AlPLIOATION FILED APR. 6, 1906.

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. W. L. FUCHS.

SAFETY STIRRUP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1908.

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UNITED STAES FAENT FFTCE.

WILLIAM L. FUCHS, OF SARDIS, OHIO.

SAFETY-STIRRUP.

Application filed April 6, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM L. FUoHs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sardis, in the county of Monroe, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-stirrups; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others sln'lled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to safety stirrups adapted to automatically release the foot loop of the stirrup in event of accident to the rider and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed device of this character whereby the foot loop portion of the stirrup is quickly and automatically released from the suspending portion by an abnormal movement of the foot, but which remain coupled under normal conditions.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and de scribed and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation, and-Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved device in operative position. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail enlarged showing the construction of the re leasing mechanism. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of the parts when the stirrup is released. Fig. 5 is a per spective view of the foot engaging portion detached. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the releasing member.

The improved device comprises a foot loop 10, with the lower portion of the usual form and converging at the upper end into a head 11, preferably square, and provided with lateral trunnions 1213, and a vertical guideway or bore 14.

A suspending member forms a part of the improved device and is provided at one end with a strap loop 15, to receive the strap by which attachment is made to the saddle, not shown, and withresilient spaced sides l6 l7 apertured at their lower ends to receive the trunnions 12-13, and thus detacliably couple the suspending member to the foot loop.

Projecting inwardly from the resilient sides 16-17, of the suspending member are lugs 1819, preferably with their inner faces re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 425,538.

versely inclined as shown, and slidably disposed in the guideway 01' bore 1 1, is a rod 20, having a head 21, formed with reversely inclined sides or in wedge form and bearing between the inclined lugs 18*19, and with a foot engaging portion 22, at the lower end and within the foot loop, or in position to be en aged by the foot of the rider when the latter is disposed in an abnormal position, but which will not be effected by the foot when in normal or ordinary position. Thus while the rider is seated upon the animal and has him under control and with his feet in the foot loops of the stirrups, the feet will not come in contact with the members 22, and the foot loop and suspending member will remain in coupled condition. Should, however, the horse become unruly and throw his rider, or should the rider for any cause become unseated, the forward portions of the feet of the driver would assume an abnormal position and press upward upon the member 22, and cause the wedge shaped head 21, to rise between the lugs 18-19, forcibly distend the sides 16*17, of the suspending member and release the latter from the foot loop leaving the foot loop portions only upon the riders feet. By this simple arrangement all danger of the rider being dragged by the stirrup in event of accident is obviated;

The device may be adapted to stirrups of all sizes and forms without material structural changes, and it will therefore be understood that changes in the form and construction within the sco e of the appended claims may be made wit iout departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

WVhat is claimed is 1. A safety stirrup comprising a foot loop, a suspending member having disconnected resilient sides, means for detachably engaging said sides to said foot loop, a foot engaging member movably disposed within said foot loop, and means whereby the operation of said foot engaging member causes the lateral separation of the spaced sides of the suspending member.

2. A safety stirrup comprising a foot loop having lateral trunnions, a suspending member having resilient sides disconnected at one end and apertured to engage said trunnions, a foot engaging member within said foot loop, and a member movably engaging said foot loop and adapted to distend said resilient sides to cause the separation of the suspending member from the foot loop.

3. A safety stirrup comprising a foot loop having a vertical guide aperture at its upper end and with oppositely disposed trunnions, a suspending member having resilient sides apertured to receive said trunnions, inwardly extending lugs carried by said sides, and a rod 10 slidable in said guideway and with laterally enlarged upper end to engage said lugs and with foot engaging portion at the lower end within the foot loop.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. FUCHS.

Witnesses:

ANNA FRALEY, P. E. FRALEY. 

